C5 1 Teams & Work Groups

Pathways to Higher Education Project
Center for Advancement of Postgraduate
Studies and Research in Engineering Sciences,
Faculty of Engineering - Cairo University
(CAPSCU)

Teams and Work
Groups

Prof. Dr. Adel Mohamed Zayed
Prof. Dr. Mostafa Mostafa Kamel

Teams and Work
Groups

by
Prof. Dr. Adel Mohamed Zayed
Prof. Dr. Mostafa Mostafa Kamel
Prof. of Business Administration
Faculty of Commerce - Cairo University

Cairo
2005

Teams and Work Groups

First Published 2005

Published by Center for Advancement of Postgraduate Studies and Research
in Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering - Cairo University (CAPSCU)
Tel: (+202) 5716620, (+202) 5678216
Fax: (+202) 5703620
Web-site: www.capscu.com
E-mail: capscu@tedata.net.eg

Deposit No. 9681/2005

ISBN 977-223-989-2

All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means; electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher.

Acknowledgment
On behalf of Pathways to Higher Education Management Team in Egypt, the Project
Coordinator wishes to extend his thanks and appreciation to the Ford Foundation (FF)
for its full support to reform higher education, postgraduate studies and research
activities in Egypt. The Management Team extend their special thanks and
appreciation to Dr. Bassma Kodmani, Senior Project Officer at the Ford Foundation
office in Cairo, who helped initiate this endeavor, and who spared no effort to support
the Egyptian overall reform activities, particularly research and quality assurance of
the higher education system. Her efforts were culminated by the endorsement to fund
our proposal to establish the Egyptian Pathways to Higher Education project by the
Ford Foundation Headquarters in New York.

The role of our main partner, the Future Generation Foundation (FGF), during the
initial phase of implementation of the Pathways to Higher Education Project is also
acknowledged. The elaborate system of training they used in offering their Basic
Business Skills Acquisition (BBSA) program was inspiring in developing the
advanced training program under Pathways umbrella. This partnership with an NGO
reflected a truly successful model of coordination between CAPSCU and FGF, and its
continuity is mandatory in support of our young graduates interested in pursuing
research activities and/or finding better job opportunities.

The contribution of our partner, The National Council for Women (NCW), is
appreciated. It is worth mentioning that the percentage of females graduated from
Pathways programs has exceeded 50%, which is in line with FF and NCW general
objectives. The second phase of the project will witness a much more forceful
contribution from the NCW, particularly when implementing the program on the
governorates level as proposed by CAPSCU in a second phase of the program.

We also appreciate the efforts and collaborative attitude of all colleagues from Cairo
University, particularly the Faculties of Commerce, Art, Mass Communication, Law,
Economics and Political Sciences, and Engineering who contributed to the success of
this project.

Finally, thanks and appreciation are also extended to every member of the Center for
Advancement of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Engineering Sciences
(CAPSCU), Steering Committee members, trainers, supervisors and lecturers who
were carefully selected to oversee the successful implementation of this project, as
well as to all those who are contributing towards the accomplishment of the project
objectives.

Pathways Steering Committee Members
SN Member Name Title Institution
1 Dr. Ahmed Aboulwafa Professor and Chief of the Department of CU
Mohamed Public International Law, Faculty of Law
and Ex-Vice Dean for Postgraduate
Studies, Faculty of Law
2 Dr. Ahmed Farghally Professor of Accounting and Dean of the CU
Faculty of Commerce
3 Dr. Ali Abdel Rahman President of Cairo University CU
4 Dr. Bassma Kodmani Senior Program Officer, Governance and FF
International Cooperation, Ford
Foundation, Cairo Office
5 Dr. Fouad Khalaf Ex-Project Manager, Project Consultant CU
and Local Coordinator of TEMPUS Risk
Project
6 Dr. Hoda Rashad Professor and Director of Social Research NCW
Center, American University in Cairo
(AUC)
7 Dr. Kamel Ali Omran Professor of Human Resources and CU
Organizational Behavior, Business
Administration and Ex-Vice Dean for
Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of
Commerce
8 Dr. Mahmoud Fahmy Professor of Social Science and Ex-Vice CU
El Kourdy Dean for Students Affairs, Faculty of Arts
9 Mr. Moataz El-Alfy Vice Chairman of Future Generation FGF
Foundation
10 Mr. Mohamed Farouk Secretary General and Board Member, FGF
Hafeez Future Generation Foundation
11 Dr. Mohamed K. Bedewy Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and CAPSCU
Chairman of CAPSCU Board
12 Dr. Mohamed M. Megahed Director of CAPSCU CAPSCU
13 Dr. Mohsen Elmahdy Said Project Coordinator CU
14 Dr. Salwa Shaarawy Gomaa Professor of Public Policy and Ex-Director NCW
of Public Administration Research & & CU
Consultation Center (PARC), Faculty of
Economics Political Sciences
15 Dr. Sami El Sherif Vice Dean for Students Affairs, Faculty of CU
Mass Communication
16 Dr. Sayed Kaseb Project Manager CU
17 Dr. Zeinab Mahmoud Selim Professor of Statistics and Ex-Vice Dean CU
for Students Affairs, Faculty of Economics
and Political Sciences
CU Cairo University NCW National Council for Women
FF Ford Foundation FGF Future Generation Foundation
CAPSCU Center for Advancement of Postgraduate Studies and Research in
Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering - Cairo University

Publisher Introduction
The Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University is a pioneer in the field of learning and
continual education and training. The Center for Advancement of Postgraduate Studies
and Research in Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering - Cairo University
(CAPSCU) is one of the pillars of the scientific research centers in the Faculty of
Engineering. CAPSCU was established in 1974 in cooperation with UNIDO and
UNESCO organizations of the United Nations. Since 1984, CAPSCU has been
operating as a self-financed independent business unit within the overall goals of Cairo
University strategy to render its services toward development of society and
environment.

CAPSCU provides consultation services for public and private sectors and
governmental organizations. The center offers consultation on contractual basis in all
engineering disciplines. The expertise of the Faculty professors who represent the pool
of consultants to CAPSCU, is supported by the laboratories, computational facilities,
library and internet services to assist in conducting technical studies, research and
development work, industrial research, continuous education, on-the-job training,
feasibility studies, assessment of technical and financial projects, etc.

Pathways to Higher Education (PHE) Project is an international grant that was
contracted between Cairo University and Ford Foundation (FF). During ten years, FF
plans to invest 280 million dollars to develop human resources in a number of
developing countries across the world. In Egypt, the project aims at enhancing
university graduates' skills. PHE project is managed by CAPSCU according to the
agreement signed in September 22nd, 2002 between Cairo University and Ford
Foundation, grant No. 1020 - 1920.

The partners of the project are Future Generation Foundation (FGF), National Council
for Women (NCW) and Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences at Cairo
University. A steering committee that includes representatives of these organizations
has been formed. Its main tasks are to steer the project, develop project policies and
supervise the implementation process.

Following the steps of CAPSCU to spread science and knowledge in order to
participate in society development, this training material is published to enrich the
Egyptian libraries. The material composes of 20 subjects especially prepared and
developed for PHE programs.

Dr. Mohammad M. Megahed
CAPSCU Director
April 2005

Foreword by the Project Management
Pathways to Higher Education, Egypt (PHE) aims at training fresh university graduates in
order to enhance their research skills to upgrade their chances in winning national and
international postgraduate scholarships as well as obtaining better job.

Pathways steering committee defined the basic skills needed to bridge the gap between
capabilities of fresh university graduates and requirements of society and scientific research.
These skills are: mental, communication, personal and social, and managerial and team work,
in addition to complementary knowledge. Consequently, specialized professors were assigned
to prepare and deliver training material aiming at developing the previous skills through three
main training programs:
1. Enhancement of Research Skills
2. Training of Trainers
3. Development of Leadership Skills

The activities and training programs offered by the project are numerous. These activities
include:
1. Developing training courses to improve graduates' skills
2. Holding general lectures for PHE trainees and the stakeholders
3. Conducting graduation projects towards the training programs

Believing in the importance of spreading science and knowledge, Pathways management team
would like to introduce this edition of the training material. The material is thoroughly
developed to meet the needs of trainees. There have been previous versions for these course
materials; each version was evaluated by trainees, trainers and Project team. The development
process of both style and content of the material is continuing while more courses are being
prepared.

To further enhance the achievement of the project goals, it is planned to dedicate complete
copies of PHE scientific publications to all the libraries of the Egyptian universities and
project partners in order to participate in institutional capacity building. Moreover, the
training materials will be available online on the PHE website, www.Pathways-Egypt.com.

In the coming phases, the partners and project management team plan to widen project scope
to cover graduates of all Egyptian universities. It is also planned that underprivileged
distinguished senior undergraduates will be included in the targeted trainees in order to enable
their speedy participation in development of society.

Finally, we would like to thank the authors and colleagues who exerted enormous efforts and
continuous work to publish this book. Special credit goes to Prof. Fouad Khalaf for playing a
major role in the development phases and initiation of this project. We greatly appreciate the
efforts of all members of the steering committee of the project.

Dr. Sayed Kaseb Dr. Mohsen Elmahdy Said

Project Manager Project Coordinator

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Team as a Concept 1
1.1 Team Definition, Characteristics and Steps 1
1.2 Requirements of a Team 3
1.3 The Difference between Teams, Groups and Individuals 4
1.4 Teams: Special Kinds of Groups 4
1.5 Team Importance in Nowadays Organizations 6
1.6 Teams in Organizations: Some Impressive Results 7
1.7 Competitive Advantage with Groups & Teams 8

Chapter 2: Types of Teams and Their Functions 9
2.1 Types of Teams 9
2.2 Teams Role in Solving Organizational Problems 11
2.3 Formal and Informal Groups 12
2.4 Task Interdependence Types 13
2.5 How to Build a Good Team 13
2.6 Self-Managed Teams 14

Chapter 3: Team Building 19
3.1 The Stages of Team Development 19
3.2 Interaction among Team Members 22
3.3 Cohesiveness: Developing the Team Spirit 23
3.4 Required Skills for Team-Based Organizations 23

Chapter 4: Team Effectiveness 27
4.1 Setting Team Objectives and Criteria 27
4.2 Dimensions Influencing Team Effectiveness 28
4.3 Group Cohesiveness, Group Effectiveness, and Group Norms 33
4.4 Team Communication Process 33
4.5 The Communication Process 34

Chapter 5: Team Measurement 41
5.1 Managing Team Performance 41
5.2 Team Assessment Aspects 41
5.3 Feedback Role in Enhancing Team Effectiveness 44
5.4 Potential Obstacles to Success: Why Do Some Teams Fail? 45
5.6 Team Measurement Concept and Methodology 47
5.7 Rewarding Teams 48
5.8 Empowerment as a Tool for Effectiveness 48

Discussion Questions 41

C5/1: Teams and Work Groups Team as a Concept

Chapter 1: Team as a Concept
When trainees finish studying this part, they should be able to:

1. Define teams and groups
2. List the main characteristics of teams
3. Know the differences between teams, groups and individuals
4. Determine teams’ importance in nowadays organizations
5. Define some impressive results of work teams in
organizations.

Team Definition, 1.1 Team Definition, Characteristics and Steps
Characteristics
and Steps
Although teams (groups) have always been a central part of the
organizations, they are gaining increasing attention as potentially
important organizational asset. Professionals rarely work alone; they
work with their colleagues and their work managers. Accordingly,
managers are concerned with creating effective teams that make
real contributions to quality products and services and thus
containing success of the total organization.

The evidence suggests that teams typically outperform individuals
when the tasks being done require multiple skills, judgment,
and experience. As organizations have restructured themselves to
compete more effectively and efficiently, they have turned to teams
as a way to better utilize employee talents. Management has found
that teams are more flexible and responsive to changing events than
are traditional departments or other forms of permanent groupings.
Teams have the capability to quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and
disband.

Definition of a
Definition of a Team
Team
From the abovementioned facts, we can define a team as:

“Two or more interdependent individuals who interact with
and influence one another in order to accomplish a common
purpose”.

Imagine three people waiting in line at the cashier’s stand at a
supermarket. Now compare them to the board of directors of a large
corporation. Which collection would you consider to be a “group
“or a “team”? Although in our everyday language we may refer to
the people waiting in line as a group, they are not a group and the
same sense as the members of the board.
Pathways to Higher Education 1


Social scientists have formally defined a group as a collection of two
or more interacting individuals with a stable pattern of relationships
between them who share common goals and who perceive
themselves as being a group.

One of the most obvious characteristics of group is that they are
composed of two or more people in social interaction. In other
words; the members of a group must have some influence on each
other. Groups also must possess a structure. Although groups can
change and often do, there must be some stable relationships that
keep group members together and functioning as a unit. To be a
group, a greater level of stability would be required. A third
characteristic of groups is that members share common interests or
goals.

Finally, to be a group, the individuals involved must perceive
themselves as a group. Groups are composed of people who
recognize each other as members of their group and can distinguish
these individuals from nonmembers.

We have all spent a great deal of time working and playing in
groups. Some of these groups seem to work very well together, and
we sense that the group is able to accomplish something that none
of the individuals could have accomplished on his own. In these
cases, group members tend to identify with the group and may even
surprise themselves in what they are able to accomplish individually
when working with the group. Other groups, however, seem to
function less effectively. In these cases, group members may hate
spending time in the group and often feel that they could accomplish
the task, or at least their part of the task, much more efficiently if
they were left own their on.

From the abovementioned definition, we can summarize the
team characteristics as follows:
§ A team can involve as few as two people.
§ A team is not a mere aggregate of individuals.
§ A team success depends on the interdependent and
collective efforts of various team members.
§ Team members are likely to have significant impacts on
one another as they work together.

Assessment 1.1
Why do people join groups or teams?
People often join groups to satisfy their mutual interests and goals.
Also, they frequently form groups for purposes of seeking protection
from other groups. They also exist because they appeal to a basic
psychological need to be social.



(A) Mention five more reasons that motivate people to join
teams or groups:

1. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(B) Discuss the reasons you defined with the rest of the group
and try to come up with a unified list that reflects the group’s
agreement.

Requirements of 1.2 Requirements of a Team
a Team
There are four major requirements for a team, as shown in Figure
1.1.

Interdependent Interaction
Relationship.

Teams

Common Mutual
Purpose Influence

Figure 1.1: Requirements for teams

First: the team members have an interdependent relationship with
one another to accomplish the team activities.

Second: this interdependence dictates that group members must
interact through conversation or work activities.

Third: a team is characterized by a condition of mutual influence
between team members.

Fourth: teams have a common purpose such as accomplishing
work, completing a project, or preparing a report.



The Difference
between Teams,
1.3 The Difference between Teams, Groups and
Groups and Individuals
Individuals
On one hand, some people see that teams and groups are the
same. Therefore, it is common to use the two words
interchangeably.

Teams and groups are the same.

On the other hand, some other people see that the two words are
not the same. In recent years, team has become a popular word in
the business community, often replacing the word group. Taking that
into consideration, we can define a group and a work group as
follows:
• A group is defined as two or more individuals, interacting and
interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular
objectives.

• A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share
information and to make decisions to help one another
perform within each member’s area of responsibility with a
given work or organization.

Teams and groups are not the same

• A work team, from that perspective, generates positive
synergy at work through coordination of effort. The individual
efforts result in a level of performance that is greater than the
sum of those individual inputs.

Teams: Special 1.4 Teams: Special Kinds of Groups
Kinds of Groups
A team may be defined as a group whose members have
complementary skills and are committed to a common purpose or
set of performance goals for which they hold themselves mutually
accountable.

At this point, it is probably not entirely clear to you exactly how a
team is different from an ordinary group. This confusion probably
stems in part from the fact that people often refer to their groups as
teams, although they are really not teams. Yet, there are several
important distinctions between them.

First, in group, performance typically depends on the work of
individual members. The performance of a team, however, depends
on both individual contributions and collective work products – the
joint outcome of team members working in concert.



Second, members of groups put their resources to attain a goal
although it is individual performance that is taken into consideration
when it comes to issuing rewards. Members of groups usually do not
take responsibility for any results other than their own. By contrast,
teams focus on both individual and mutual accountability. That is,
they work together to produce an outcome (e.g., a product, service,
or decision) that represents their joint contributions, and each team
member shares responsibility for that outcome, the key difference is
this: in groups, the supervisor holds individual members hold
themselves accountable.

Third, whereas group members may share a common interest goal,
team members also share a common commitment to purpose.
Moreover, these purposes typically are concerned with wining in
same way, such as being first or best at something.

Fourth, in organizations, teams differ from groups with respect to
the nature of their connections to management. Work groups are
typically required to be responsive to demands regularly placed on
them by management. By contrast, teams are to varying degrees
self managed – that is, they are to some extent free to set their own
goals, timing, and the approach that they wish to take, usually
without management interference. Thus, many teams are described
as being autonomous or semiautonomous in nature.

Clearly teams are very special entities. Some teams go beyond
the characteristics of teams described here and are known as
high- performance teams

We can summarize the difference between Teams and Groups as
shown in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1: Differences between teams and groups

Work Group Work Team
Goal Share information Collective performance
Synergy Neutral Positive
Accountability Individual Individual and mutual
Skills Random and varied Complementary

Trainees should Trainees should remember:
remember (1) A group is two or more people who interact with each
other to accomplish a goal.

(2) A team is a group who work intensively with each other to
achieve a specific common goal.



(3) All teams are groups, BUT, not all groups are teams.

(4) Teams often are difficult to form because:
It takes time for members to work together.
Teams can improve organizational performance, but
this requires time and effort

Team
Importance in 1.5 Team Importance in Nowadays
Nowadays Organizations
Organizations
In the workplace, a new recognition and appreciation of individuals
and groups are emerging. Effective organizations must pull together
all their human resources to forge strong, viable organizational
culture that emphasizes teamwork. In recent years, organizations
have begun to see just how important teamwork is to quality and
organization effectiveness. The organizational improvements
processes, such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and Process
Reengineering, heavily relay on work teams.

Teams are particularly good at combining talents and providing
innovative solutions to possible unfamiliar problems; in cases where
there is not well established approach/procedure, the wider skill and
knowledge set of the group has a distinct advantage over that of the
individual. In general, however, there is an overriding advantage in a
team-based work force, which makes it attractive to Management:
that it engenders a fuller utilization of the work force.

A team can be seen as a self-managing unit. The range of skills
provided by its members and the self-monitoring, which each group
performs, makes it a reasonably safe recipient for delegated
responsibility. Even if a single person could decide a solution for a
problem, there are two main benefits in involving the people who will
carry out the decision. First, the motivational aspect of participating
in the decision will clearly enhance its implementation. Second,
there may be factors, which the implementer understands better
than the single person who could supposedly have decided alone.

More indirectly, if the lowest echelons of the workforce each become
trained, through participation in team decision-making, in an
understanding of the companies’ objectives and work practices, then
each will be better able to solve work-related problems in general.
Further, they will also individually become a safe recipient for
delegated authority, which is exemplified in the celebrated right of
Japanese car workers to halt the production line.

From the individual's point of view, there is the added incentive
that through belonging to a team each can participate in
achievements well beyond his own individual potential. Less



idealistically, the team provides an environment where the
individual's self-perceived level of responsibility and authority is
enhanced, in an environment where accountability is shared: thus
providing a perfect motivator through enhanced self-esteem coupled
with low stress.

Finally, a word about the much vaunted "recognition of the worth
of the individual", which is often given as the reason for delegating
responsibility to teams of subordinates. The bottom line is that the
individual's talents are better utilized in a team, not that they
are wonderful human beings.

Teams in 1.6 Teams in Organizations: Some Impressive
Organizations:
Some Impressive Results
Results
Case studies have reported many remarkable outcomes
stemming from teams. Here is just a sampling of the impressive
results, as shown in Table 1.2.

Table 1.2: Remarkable outcomes stemming from teams

Company Results
Federal Express § Reduce errors (e.g., incorrect bills,
lost packages) by 13 % in 1989.
Corning § Defects dropped from 1,800 parts per
million to only 9 parts per million in its
cellular ceramics plant.
Shenandoah Life § Saved $ 200.000 per year in reduced
Insurance Co. staffing while increasing volume of
work handled by 33 %.
Xerox § Increased productivity by 30%.
Tektronix § One team produces as many
products in 3 days as an entire
assembly line used to produce in 14
days.
Carrier (Division of § Reduced unit turnaround time from 2
United Technologies weeks to 2 days.
Corporation)
Westinghouse § Productivity increased by 74% within
Furniture Systems three years.
Sealed Air § Waste reduced by 50%, and
downtime cut from 20% to 5 %.
Eli Lilly § Faster-ever rollout time for a new
medical product.
Citibank § Substantially improved customer
satisfaction ratings in 11 key areas.
Exxon § $ 10 million saving in 6 months.



Competitive
Advantage with
1.7 Competitive Advantage with Groups &
Groups & Teams Teams
Ø Performance Enhancement: Make use of synergy
Ø Workers in a group have the opportunity to produce more or
better output than separate workers.
Ø Members correct others’ errors and bring new ideas to peers.
Ø Managers should build groups with members of
complimentary skills
Ø Responsive to Customers: difficult to achieve given many
constraints.
Ø Safety issues, regulations, and costs.
Ø Cross-functional teams provide the wide variety of skills
needed.
Ø Teams consist of members of different departments.
Ø Innovation: individuals rarely possess the wide variety of
skills needed. Teams do.
Ø Team members also uncover flaws and develop new ideas.
Ø Managers should empower the team for the full innovation
process.
Ø Motivation: members of groups, and particularly teams, are
often better motivated and satisfied than individuals.
Ø It is fun to work next to other motivated people. It is also that:
Ø Team members see their contribution to the team.
Ø Teams also provide social interaction.


C5/1: Teams and Work Groups Types of Teams and Their Functions

Chapter 2: Types of Teams and Their Functions
When students finish studying this part, they should be able to:
1. Define team types.
2. Distinguish between formal and informal groups.
3. Understand how to build a good team.
4. Explain team role in solving organizational problems.
5. Determine teams as an inevitable tool in performing business.
6. Understand the process of making use of diversity in teams.
7. Define the self-managed teams in organizations.

Types of 2.1 Types of Teams
Teams

Teams can be classified according to their objective. The four most
common forms of teams you are likely to find in an organization are
problem-solving teams, self-managed teams, cross-functional teams,
and virtual teams.

Problem- A) Problem-Solving Teams
Solving
Teams They are typically composed of 5 to 12 employees from the same
department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of
improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.

Organizations are relaying more and more on problem-solving teams to
help solve organizational problems, as shown in Figure 2.1.

Problem

Figure 2.1: Problem-solving team

In problem-solving teams, members share ideas or offer suggestions
on how work process and methods can be improved. Rarely, however,
are these teams given the authority to unilaterally implement any of
their suggested actions, as shown in Figure 2.2.


Figure 2.2: Team hoac
Self-Managed
Teams B) Self-Managed Teams
They are generally composed of 10 to 15 people who take on the
responsibilities of their former supervisors. Typically, these
responsibilities include:
a) Collective control over the pace of work,
b) Determination of work assignments,
c) Organization of breaks, and
d) Collective choice of inspection procedures used.

Fully self-managed teams select their own members, and the members
evaluate each other’s performance. As a result, supervisory positions
take on decreased importance and may even be eliminated, see Figure
2.3.

Figure 2.3: Self-managed team
Cross-
Functional
Teams C) Cross - Functional Teams
Cross-functional teams are made of employees at about the same
hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to
accomplish a task.



Cross-functional teams are an effective means of allowing people from
diverse areas within an organization to exchange information, develop
new ideas, solve problems, and coordinate complex projects. Cross-
functional teams bring people with different functional specialties to
better invent design, or deliver a product or service. The general goals
of using cross-functional team include some combination of innovation,
speed and quality that come from early coordination among the various
specialties

Virtual Teams D) Virtual Teams
Virtual teams use computers technology to tie tighter physically
dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal. They allow
people to collaborate online, whether they are only a room apart or
separated by continents.

The three primary factors that differentiate virtual teams from face-to-
face teams are:
a) The absence of Para verbal and nonverbal cues.
b) Limited social context.
c) The ability to overcome time and space constraints.

Teams Role 2.2 Teams Role in Solving Organizational
in Solving
Organizational Problems
Problems
Team decision-making process assists organization to solve non-
routine problems. It is always said the “two brains are better than
one.” The advantages of team decision-making process are:
a) Problem definition: teams can define the problem more
clearly. Team members can visualize the problem from
different perspectives. The integration of those perspectives
helps the team to reach a clear definition of the problem.
b) Data collection: teams are able to collect more data than
individual.
c) Developing alternatives: teams can develop more
alternatives than individuals. Teams usually use different
techniques such as brainstorming, nominal groupings, and
Delphi techniques.
d) Evaluating and selecting alternatives: team discussions
can always produce more positive solutions of a problem.
Teams also use more objectives criteria in selecting the right
alternative.
e) Implementing the solution: teams are able to define the
roles of each team member in implementing the solution of the
problem.



Formal and
Informal
2.3 Formal and Informal Groups
Groups
Groups come in many forms, shapes, and sizes. Most managers
belong to several different groups at the same time, some at work,
some at community, some formally organized, and some informal and
social in nature. The most basic way of identifying types of groups is to
distinguish between:
ü Formal groups, and
ü Informal groups, as shown in Figure 2.4.

Types of groups

Formal Informal

Figure 2.4: Types of groups

A) Formal Groups
Formal
Groups
The organization’s managers to accomplish goals and serve the needs
of the organization deliberately create formal groups. The major
purpose of formal groups is to perform specific tasks and achieve
specific objectives defined by the organization. The most common type
of formal work group consists of individuals cooperating under the
direction of a leader. Examples of formal groups are departments,
divisions, taskforce, project groups, quality circles, committees, and
boards of directors.

Formal groups are created by the organization and are intentionally
designed to direct members toward some important organizational
goal. One type of formal group is referred to as a command group (i.e.,
those who can legitimately give orders to others). Formal
organizational group also may be formed around some specific task.
Such a group is referred to as a task group. Unlike command groups, a
task group may be composed of individuals with some special interest
or expertise in a specific area regardless of their positions in the
organizational hierarchy.
Informal
Groups
B) Informal Groups

Informal groups in organizations are not formed or planned by the
organization’s managers. Rather, they are self-created and evolve out
of the formal organization for a variety of reasons, such as proximity,



common interests, or needs of individuals. It would be difficult for
organization to prohibit informal working relationships from developing.

Informal groups develop naturally among an organization’s personnel
without any direction from management. One key factor in the
emergence of informal groups is a common interest shared by its
members. For example, a group of employees who band together to
seek union representation may be called an interest group

Of course, sometimes the interests that bind individuals together are
far more diffuse. Groups may develop out of a common interest in
participating in sports, or going to the movies, or just getting together to
talk. These kinds of informal groups are known as friendship groups.

2.4 Task Interdependence Types
Task
Interdependence
Types There are three types of task interdependence groups, see Figure 2.5;
these types are:
§ Pooled Task Interdependence: members make separate,
independent contributions to group. Group performance is the
sum of member contributions.

§ Sequential Task Interdependence: members perform tasks in
a sequential order. It is hard to determine individual performance
since one member depends on another.

§ Reciprocal Task Interdependence: work performed by a
member is dependent on work by others. Members share
information and work closely together.

Task Interdependence Teams

Pooled Sequential Reciprocal
Task Task Task
Interdependence Interdependence Interdependence

Figure 2.5: Task interdependence teams

How to Build
a Good Team 2.5 How to Build a Good Team
To build a good team, you should do as shown in Table 2.1.



Table 2.1: Building a good team

Always Never
1. Deliver on time and alert 1. Tell your teammates or leader
team ASAP when unexpected how much time and effort you are
delays occur. putting into your assignment.
2. Attend all team meetings on 2. Assume the role of resident
time. critic and complainer.
3. Speak up, Speak out, and 3. Wait for someone to tell/ask
interact at all team meetings. you what to do next.
4. Take personal interest in 4. Delay actions and make
Can you tell planning and problem solving. excuses.
more!!!!!!
5. Look for ways to go-the- 5. Isolate yourself from the others.
second-mile on your own.

Self-Managed 2.6 Self-Managed Teams
Teams
Experts agree that tasks assigned to self-managed work teams should
be complex and challenging, requiring high interdependence among
team members for accomplishment. In general, these tasks should
have the qualities of enriched jobs, thus, teams should see the task as
significant, they should perform the task from beginning to end, and
they should use a variety of skills. The point here is that self-managed
teams have to have something useful to self-manage, and it is fairly
complex tasks that capitalize on the diverse knowledge and skills of a
group. If a theme runs through this discussion of tasks for self-
managed teams, it is the breakdown of traditional, conventional,
specialized roles in the group. Group members adopt roles that will
make the group effective, not ones that are simply related to a narrow
specialty.

The Composition of Self-Managed Teams

How should organizations assemble self-managed teams to
ensure effectiveness? "Stable, small, and smart" might be a fast
answer.

Stability. Self-managed teams require considerable interaction and
high cohesiveness among their members. This, in turn, requires
understanding and trust. To achieve this, group will cause it to fail to
develop a true team identity.

Size. In keeping with the demands of the task, self- managed teams
should be as small as is feasible. The goal here is to keep coordination
problems and social loafing to a minimum



Expertise. It goes without saying that group members should have a
high level of expertise about the task at hand. Everybody doesn’t know
everything but the group as a whole should be very knowledgeable
about the task

Diversity. A team should have members who are similar enough to
work well together and diverse enough to bring a variety of
perspectives and skills to the task at hand.

Questions for Questions for Discussion
Discussion
1- Where were your strongest (highest score) and weakest
(lowest score) reasons for joining this group?
2- Besides the four reasons identified here, what other reasons
did you have for joining this group?
3- Would your scores be different from those you thought about
another group you may have joined? Repeat the questionnaire
to find out.

Assessment 2.1

“Are You a Team Player?”
Direction:
The following assessment instrument asks you to examine your
behavior as a team member in organizational setting. For each pair of
items, place a check mark in the space in the column that best
identifies how you behave in a working group at school, in student or
community groups, or on your job, as shown in Table 2.2.

Interpretation: in each pair of items, the items on the left are more
associated with team behaviors than items on the right.

1. In what ways do these behaviors agree with your concept of
team membership? How do they differ?
2. What strengths do you think you have working on a team?
Weaknesses?
Are there times when you have preformed more effectively as a team
member? If so, what events or circumstances made you behave
differently in the different situation?



Table 2.2: Behavioral examination
Very Some Both Some Very Some
like what describe what like what
me like me like me like
me me me
Flexible in own Set in my
ideas own ideas
Open to new Avoid new
ideas ideas
Listen well to Tune out
others others
Trusting of Not
others trusting
others
Prefer to raise Prefer to
differences and avoid
discuss them discussing
differences
Readily Hold back
contribute in from
group meetings contributin
g in group
meetings
Concerned for Not
what happens concerned
to others for what
happens to
others
Fully committed Have little
to tasks commitme
nt to tasks
Willing to help Prefer to
others to get stick to my
the job done own task
or job
description
Share Maintainin
leadership with g full
group control of
group
Encourage Expect
others to others to
participate participate
without
encourage
ment
Group needs My
Group come individual
before my My needs
individual come
needs before
group
needs



Assessment 2.2

Decision-Making & Creative Problem Solving

Statement Self Group
01 I/we seek accuracy of information by adding to or
questioning summaries.
02 I/we seek elaboration by relating to familiar events
or asking how others understand material.
03 I/we ask for additional information or rationale.
04 I/we seek clever ways of remembering ideas and
facts (e.g., posters, visuals, notes, electronic
devices, public agendas).
05 I/we ask other members why and how they are
reasoning.
06 I/we encourage the assigning of specific roles to
facilitate better group functioning (e.g., process
observer).
07 I/we ask for feedback in a non-confrontational
way.
08 I/we help to decide the next steps for the group.
09 I/we diagnose group difficulties regarding tasks.
10 I/we diagnose group difficulties regarding
interpersonal problems.
11 I/we encourage the generation and exploration of
multiple solutions to problems through the use of
creative problem-solving strategies.


C5/1: Teams and Work Groups Team Building

Chapter 3: Team Building
When students finish studying this part, they should be able to:
1. Define the stages of team development.
2. Explain the selection process of team members.
3. Define the interaction process among team members.
4. Describe the team-based problem solving as an integration
process.
5. Identify the process of developing team spirit in organizations.
6. Identify the required skills for teamwork organizations.

The Stages of 3.1 The Stages of Team Development
Team
Development
The group development process is dynamic. While most groups are
in continual state of change and rarely ever reach complete stability,
the group development process does follow a general pattern.
Groups appear through a five-stage development sequence:
Forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning, as shown
in Figure 3.1.

(E) Adjourning

(D) Performing

(C) Norming

(B) Storming

(A) Forming

Figure 3.1: Group development stages

Forming Stage A) Forming Stage
The First stage is forming. During this stage the members get
acquainted with each other. They establish the ground rules by
trying to find out what behaviors are acceptable. In the forming


stage, group members focus their efforts on seeking basic
information, defining goals, developing procedures for performing
the task and making preliminary evaluation of how the group might
interact to accomplish goals. There is often a great deal of
uncertainty at this point as group members begin to test the extent
to which their input will be valued. The following behaviors are
common for individuals in the forming stage of group development:
ü Keeping feelings to themselves until they know the situation.
ü Acting more secure that they actually feel.
ü Experiencing confusion and uncertainty about what is
expected.
ü Being polite.
ü Trying to size up personal benefits and personal costs of being
involved in the group.
ü Accepting dependence on a powerful person.
During the forming stage, people tend to be a bit confused and
uncertain about how to act in the group and how beneficial it
will be to become a member of the group. Once the individuals
come to think of themselves as members of a group, the forming
stage is complete.

B) Storming Stage
Storming Stage
In the storming stage, group members frequently experience
conflict with one another as they locate and attempt to resolve
differences of opinion about key issues, relative priorities of goals,
who is responsible for what, and the task-related direction of the
leader. Competition for the leadership role and conflict over goals
are dominant themes at this stage. Some members may withdraw
or try to isolate themselves from emotional tension that is
generated. Groups with members from diverse backgrounds or
cultures may experience greater conflict than more homogenous
groups. It is important at this stage not to suppress or withdraw
from the conflict. Suppressing conflict will likely create bitterness
and resentment, which will last long after members attempt to
express their differences and emotions. Withdrawal can cause the
group to fail more quickly.

The storming stage is characterized by a high degree of conflict
within the group. Members often resist the control of the group’s
leaders and show hostility toward each other. If these conflicts are
not resolved some group members may withdraw and the group
may disband. However, as conflicts are resolved and the group’s
leadership is accepted, the storming stage is complete.



Norming Stage C) Norming Stage
During the norming stage, a real sense of cohesion and
teamwork begins to emerge. Group members feel good about each
other and identify with the group. At this stage, group members:
ü Share feelings,
ü Give and receive feedback, and
ü Begin to share a sense of success.
In the norming stage, the group becomes more cohesive, and
identification as a member of the group becomes great. Close
relationships develop, shared feelings become common, feeling of
camaraderie and shared responsibility for the group’s activities are
heightened. The norming stage is complete when the members of
the group accept a common set of expectations that constitutes an
acceptable way of doing things.

D) Performing Stage
Performing
Stage The fourth stage is performing. By this stage, questions about
group relationship and leadership have been resolved and the
group is ready to work. Having fully developed, the group may
devote its energy to getting the Job done – the group’s good
relations and acceptance of the leadership helps the group perform
well.

The performing stage, when the group is fully functional, is the most
difficult to achieve. The interpersonal relations in this stage are
marked with by high level of interdependence. The group is oriented
to maintaining good relations and getting its task accomplished.
Group members can now:
ü Work well with everyone in the group.
ü Communication is constant.
ü Decisions are made easily through , and
ü Members understand the roles they need to perform for
the group to be highly effective.

At the performing stage, the group has learned to solve complex
problems and implement solutions. Members are committed to the
task and willing to experiment to solve problems.

E) Adjourning Stage
Adjourning
Stage
The final stage is adjourning. Group may cease to exist because
they have met their goals and are no longer needed (such as
an adhoc group created to raise money for a charity Project).
Other groups may adjourn norms that have developed and are no
longer effective for the group.



The adjourning stage involves the termination of task behaviors and
disengagement from relations-oriented behaviors. Some groups,
such as a project team created to investigate and report on a
specific program within a limited time frame, have well defined point
of adjournment. Other groups, such as an executive committee,
may go on indefinitely.

Interaction 3.2 Interaction among Team Members
among Team
Members
As you might imagine, assembling a team is no easy task. Doing
so requires not only having the right combination of skilled
people, but also individuals who are willing to work together
with others as a team. The following model provides some useful
insights on how to manage the interaction process of work teams
effectively, suggesting that the process proceeds in four distinct
stages, as shown in Table 3.1.

Table 3.1: Interaction process among team members

Stage Description
Stage 1: Do pre-work § Decide what work needs to be
done.
§ Determine if a team is necessary
to accomplish the task.
§ Decide on the team’s goals.

Stage 2: Create § Provide all the needed materials
performance and equipment to do the job.
conditions § Ensure that the team consists of
all personnel necessary to do the
job.

Stage 3: Form and § Establish boundaries –that is,
build the team who is in and who is not in the
team.
§ Arrive at an agreement regarding
the tasks to be performed.
§ Clarify the behaviors expected of
each team member.

Stage 4: Provide § Intervene to eliminate team
ongoing assistance problems (e.g., members not
doing their share).
§ Replenish or upgrade material
resources.
§ Replace members who leave the
team.



Cohesiveness:
Developing the
3.3 Cohesiveness: Developing the Team Spirit
Team Spirit
Highly cohesive work teams are ones in which the members
are attracted to each other, accept the group’s demands and help
work toward meeting them.

The greater the difficulty people overcome to become a
member of a team the more cohesive the group will be

ü Team cohesion tends to be strengthened under conditions of
high external threat or competition.
ü Cohesion generally tends to be greater the more time team
members spend together.
ü Similarly, cohesiveness tends to be greater in smaller teams.
ü Finally, because nothing succeeds like success “teams with a
history of success" tend to be tightly cohesive.

Team’s cohesion can influence productivity in many additional
ways. It makes sense that after team experiences success, its
members will feel more committed to each other. Similarly, we might
expect a cohesive team to work well together and to achieve a high
level of success.

Organization-related steps managers can take to build spirit of
work teams include:
1. Building a stable overall organization or company structure that
team members view as secure
2. Becoming involved in team events and demonstrating interest
in team progress and functioning
3. Properly rewarding and recognizing teams for their
accomplishments
4. Setting goals and priorities for the team
5. Developing clear objectives, directions, and project plans for
the team
6. Providing proper technical direction and leadership for the team
7. Establishing autonomy for the team and challenging work
within the team
8. Appointing experienced and qualified team personnel
9. Encouraging team involvement
10. Building visibility within the organization for the team's work.

Required Skills 3.4 Required Skills for Team - Based
for Team-
Based Organizations
Organizations
The team process is a series of changes which occur as a group of
individuals develop into a cohesive and effective team. If the
process is understood, it can be accelerated.



There are two main sets of skills which a team must acquire:
• Managerial Skills
• Interpersonal Skills

Acceleration of the team process is simply the accelerated
acquisition of these skills.

As a self-managing unit, a team has to undertake most of the
functions of a Group Leader – collectively. For instance,
meetings must be organized, budgets decided, strategic planning
undertaken, goals set, performance monitored, reviews scheduled,
etc. It is increasingly recognized that it is a fallacy to expect an
individual to suddenly assume managerial responsibility without
assistance; in the group it is even more so. Even if there are
practiced managers in the group, they must first agree on a method,
and then convince and train the remainder of the group.

As a collection of people, a team needs to learn some basic
manners and people-management skills. Again, think of that self-
opinionated, cantankerous loud-mouth; he/she should learn good
manners, and the group must learn to enforce these manners
without destructive confrontation

Generally speaking; team members should possess the
following skills:
• Share a common purpose / goals
• Build relationships for trust and respect
• Balance task and process
• Plan thoroughly before acting.
• Involve members in clear problem-solving and decision-
making procedures
• Respect and understand each others' "diversity"
• Value synergism and interdependence
• Emphasize and support team goals
• Reward individual performance that supports the team.

Assessment 3.1

Building Teamwork Skills

Describe a group which you have been a member of and discuss its
development overtime. And then answer the following questions:
1. Did the group seem to proceed through all the stages of
group development? Why or why not?
2. If you are not already part of a group of this class, form small
groups as directed by your instructor and reach some
consensus on your response.



A. Group Description:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Development Stages:

Stage Development Reasons
Yes No
1. Forming

2. Storming

3. Norming

4. Performing

5. Adjourning


C5/1: Teams and Work Groups Team Effectiveness

Chapter 4: Team Effectiveness
When trainees finish studying this part, they should be able to:
1. Set team objectives and criteria.
2. Define the dimensions influencing team effectiveness.
3. Understand the relationship between group cohesiveness, group
effectiveness, and group norms
4. Describe the role of feedback process in enhancing team
effectiveness, see Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1: Effective team development

“Probably the most fundamental ingredient of effective teams is
trust. Trust is belief in the reliance, ability, and integrity of the
other. Unless team members trust one another; the team leader,
management, and managers may find that building an effective
work team is impossible.”

Setting Team 4.1 Setting Team Objectives and Criteria
Objectives and
Criteria
Team goals should be

SMART


Team objectives should be SMART
Ø Specific: goals should be very specific and simple. For example
“The sales team should increase the annual sales volume by 5%
next month.”
Ø Measurable: it is preferred to set measurable goals. If goals are not
measurable, managers can hardly evaluate the teams’ performance.
Goals are used as benchmarks. However, teams might pursue some
immeasurable (qualitative) objectives.
Ø Attainable: team objectives should be realistic so that team
members can achieve them. However, those objectives should be
challenging.
Ø Result-Oriented: team objectives should define clearly the desired
final outcome
Ø Time-Bounded: team objectives should have a starting date and
an ending date.

Dimensions 4.2 Dimensions Influencing Team Effectiveness
Influencing
Team The following is a classic listing of effective teams:
Effectiveness

Ø Members are loyal to one another and the leader.
Ø Members and leaders have a high degree of confidence and trust
in each other.
Ø The group is eager to help members develop their own potentials.
Ø The members communicate fully and frankly all information
relevant to the team’s activities.
Ø Members feel secure in making decisions that seem appropriate to
them.
Ø Activities of the group occur in a supportive atmosphere.
Ø Group values and goals express relevant values and goals of
members.

Q: What are the dimensions that influence team effectiveness?

A large number of dimensions can affect how effectively the team
functions. Here we examine five important dimensions that managers
need to consider, see Figure 4.2.
Team Effectiveness

Size Membership Roles Norms Cohesiveness
Composition

Figure 4.2: Important dimensions that managers need to consider



Size A) Size
Effective task groups can range from 2 members to a normal
upper limit of 16. It is difficult to pinpoint an ideal group size because
the appropriate size depends on the group’s purpose.

Size affects how individuals interact with each other as well as the
overall performance of the group. In groups of less than five members,
there will be more personal discussion and more complete
participation. As a group size grows beyond several members, it
becomes more difficult for all members to participate effectively.
Communication and coordination among members become more
difficult, and there is a tendency to split into subgroups. As a result, the
interactions become more centralized, with few individuals taking more
active roles relative to the rest; disagreements may occur more easily;
and group satisfaction may decline unless group members put a good
effort into relationship-oriented roles.

As group size increases, more potential human resources are
available to perform the work and accomplish the needed tasks. While
this can boost performance, the expanded group size tends to increase
turnover and absenteeism.

Membership B) Membership Composition
Composition
Two composition factors have particularly important influence on a
group’s effectiveness, see Table 4.1. The first factor is members’
characteristics, while the second factor is members’ motivations.

Table 4.1: Membership composition

Members’ characteristics Members’ motivations

It includes physical traits, It includes members’ motives to
abilities, job-related knowledge join a group; such as the need
and skills, personality, age, race, for power, security, and
and gender. affiliation.

Ø Membership composition can be homogeneous or heterogeneous.
Ø A group is considered homogeneous when it is composed of
individuals having similar group related:
- Characteristics - Backgrounds
- Interests - Values
- Attitudes - Personality
- Age - Gender
- Race, and
- Job-related knowledge and skills
Ø Most heterogeneous groups are a function of increases in
organizational diversity.
Does homogeneous or heterogeneous lead to more effective



team?

Ø For tasks that are standard and routine, a homogeneous team
functions more quickly. Membership homogeneity contributes to
member satisfaction, creates less conflict, and increases the
chance of harmonious working relationships among group
members.
Ø For tasks that are non-routine and require diverse skills, opinions,
and behaviors, a heterogeneous team yields better results. A
heterogeneous membership can bring variety of skills and
viewpoints to bear on problems and thus facilitate task
accomplishment.

C) Roles
Roles
Roles are the many hats we wear. Roles are shared expectations
of how group members will fulfill the requirements of their
positions. People develop their roles based on their own expectations,
team’s expectations, and the organization’s expectations.

To summarize:
Ø We may define a role as the typical behaviors that characterize a
person in a social context.
Ø In organizations, many roles are assigned by virtue of an
individual’s position within an organization. For example, boss
may be expected to give orders, and a teacher may be expected
to lecture and to give exams. These are behaviors expected of
the individual in that role.

When operating in a team, individuals typically fulfill several roles.
Members’ roles fit into three categories, see Figure 4.3:

First: Task-oriented roles: focus on behaviors directly related to
establishing and achieving the goals of the group or getting the task
done. They include the following behaviors:
Ø Seeking and providing information,
Ø Initiating actions and procedures,
Ø Clarifying issues,
Ø Summarizing progress, energizing the quantity and quality of
output, and
Ø Helping the team to reach consensus.

Second: Relationship-oriented roles: include behaviors that
cultivate the well-being, continuity, and development of the group.
They focus on the operation of the group and maintenance of good
relationships among members. They help foster group unity,
positive interpersonal relations among group members, and the
development of members’ ability to work effectively together.
Third: Self-oriented roles: occur to meet some personal need or
goal of an individual without regard for the group’s problems. They



often have a negative influence on a group’s effectiveness.
Examples of such behaviors include:
• Dominating group discussions,
• Emphasizing personal issues,
• Interrupting others,
• Distracting the group from its work, and
• Wasting the team’s time.

Relationship-oriented roles:
• Harmonizer
• Gatekeeper
• Encourager
• Compromiser
• Observer
• Commentator

Roles
Self-oriented role: Task -oriented roles
• Avoider • Initiator
• Help seeker • Informer
• Encourager • Clarifier
• Compromiser • Summarizer
• Observer • Energizer
• Blocker • Reality tester
• Dominator • Consensus
taker

Figure 4.3: Team roles

Roles
Ø Role: set of behaviors a group member is expected to perform
because of his position in the group.
Ø In cross-functional teams, members perform roles in their
specialty.
Ø Managers need to clearly describe expected roles to group
members when they are assigned to the group.
Ø Role making occurs as workers take on more roles as group
members.
Ø Self-managed teams may assign the roles to members
themselves.

D) Norms



Norms Why do norms develop? The most important function that norms
serve is to provide regularity and predictability to behavior. This
provides implied psychological security and permits us to carry out daily
business with minimal disruption.

Norms: a group’s unspoken rules.
Ø Norms may be defined as generally agreed-upon informal rules
that guide team members’ behavior.
Ø They represent shared ways of viewing the world. Norms differ
from organizational rules in that they are not formal and written.
Ø Norms regulate the behavior of teams in important ways such as
how to dress, and when it is acceptable to be late for or absent
from work.
Ø Norms can be either prescriptive – dictating the behaviors that
should be programmed- or proscriptive – dictating the behaviors
that should be avoided.
Ø Norms are unwritten and often-informal rules shared beliefs
about what behavior is appropriate and expected of team
members.
Ø Norms differ from organizational rules in that they are unwritten.
Team members must accept them and behave in a way
consistent with them before they can be said to exist. This
difference is important when dealing with heterogeneous and
diverse teams.

Team Norms: shared rules that members follow may include:
ý People dress.
ý The upper and lower limits of productivity.
ý The information that can be told to the boss.
ý The matters that need to remain secret.
ý Performance standards.
ý Voice and body language.
ý Power of distance.
ý Teams may set working hours, behavior rules, etc.
ý Conformity & Deviance: members conform to norms to obtain
rewards, imitate respected members, and because they feel
the behavior is right. When a member deviates, other
members will try to make them conform, expel the member, or
change the group norms to accommodate them. Conformity
and deviance must be balanced for high performance from
the group. Deviance allows for new ideas in the group.

Ø If a group member does not follow the norms, the other
members will try to enforce compliance through acceptance and
friendship or through such means as punishment and verbal
abuse.
Ø Group norms can be positive, helping the group meet its
objectives, or they can be negative, hindering the group’s
effectiveness.
Ø Managers need to understand the norms of the groups they



manage and then work toward maintaining and developing
positive norms, while eliminating negative norms.

E) Cohesiveness

Ø Group cohesiveness: measures the loyalty to the group by its
members.
Cohesiveness Ø Level of participation: as cohesiveness rises, so will participation.
Ø Participation helps get members actively involved, but too much can
waste time.
Ø Level of Conformity: as conformity rises, so does cohesiveness.
Ø With too much conformity, performance can suffer.
Ø Level of Group Goal Accomplishment: as cohesiveness rises, the
emphasis on group accomplishment will rise.
Ø High levels of cohesiveness can cause the group to focus more on
itself than the firm.
Ø Determinates of cohesiveness can be altered to change
cohesiveness levels in a group.
Ø Group Size: small groups allow high cohesiveness.
Ø Low cohesiveness groups with many members can benefit from
splitting into two groups.
Ø Managed Diversity: diverse groups often come up with better
solutions.
Ø Group Identity: when cohesiveness is low, encourage a group to
adopt a unique identity and engage in healthy competition with
others.
Ø Success: cohesiveness increases with success.
Ø Look for a way for a group to find some small success.

4.3 Group Cohesiveness, Group Effectiveness,
and Group Norms
Norms Cohesiveness of the work group
Group
Cohesiveness, High Low
Group Aligned with Highest Moderate
Effectiveness, organization performance performance
and Group
Norms

4.4 Team Communication Process
Importance of good communication: good communication allows a firm
to:
Team Ø Learn new skills and technologies.
Communication Ø Become more responsive to customers.
Process Ø Improve Quality of their product or service.
Ø Foster innovation.



4.5 The Communication Process
Communication consists of two phases:
1. Transmission phase: 2 or more people share information.
The 2. Feedback phase: a common understanding is assured, as shown
Communication
Process
in Figure 4.4.
Transmission Phase

Message Encoding Medium Decoding

Sender Receiver
(now sender)

Decoding Medium Encoding Message

Feedback Phase
Figure 4.4: Communication process

The interpersonal communication model includes the following parts:

A) The sender
Ø The communication process starts with the Sender who wants to
share information.
Ø Sender must decide on a message to share.
The sender Ø Sender also puts the message into symbols or language, a
process called encoding.

B) Noise: Anything harming the communication process.

C) Message
Ø Messages are transmitted over a medium to a receiver.
Noise Ø Medium pathway: the message is transmitted on (phone,
letter).
Message

D) Receiver
Ø Person gets the message.
Ø Decodes the message.
Ø Decoding allows the receiver to understand the message.
Receiver Ø This is a critical point, can lead to misunderstanding.
E) Feedback
Ø Feedback is started by receiver and states that the message is
understood or that it must be re-sent.


C5 1 Teams & Work Groups

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